


Coalescence

by aerialbots



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 13:38:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2070258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aerialbots/pseuds/aerialbots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In Chemistry: the process by which two or more separate masses of miscible substances seem to 'pull' each other together should they make the slightest contact."</p><p>Or: of infinite universes, and infinite ways to meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coalescence

**#1 ~ Incredibly long cross-country train ride AU**

 

"So, uh", Silverbolt starts, a touch closer to shy than he would normally be -- but then again, he's not usually the kind to talk to strangers on the train, even ones as nice as this one. "Where's your stop?"

His nameless travel partner looks up from his book again, seeming somewhat bemused by Silverbolt's efforts to continue their conversation, but he gives him a small, uncertain smile as he replies, "Paris, actually. I'm speaking at the aeronautics convention tomorrow. And you?"

Silverbolt blinks, then smiles back a little incredulously as he pulls his dogtags out of his shirt. "Uh, same. Captain Silverbolt, Royal Air Force. At your service."

His stranger laughs, eyes crinkling and lashes falling like half-moons over his cheeks. "Skyfire. Doctor, technically, but I'd rather... Just call me Skyfire. I'm not too big on formalities, I'm afraid."

"Well then." Silverbolt leans forward, offering his right hand, and a warm little thrill spreading through him as Skyfire grips it, dark clever eyes holding Silverbolt's own. "Pleasure to meet you, Skyfire."

 

* * *

 

**#2 ~ Police procedural AU**

 

Silverbolt sighs, rubbing at his eyes as he tries not to slump from exhaustion and frustration. There's got to be _something_ he's missing -- people don't just disappear all of a sudden, much less so young, popular med students engaged to a Senator's daughter.

"Either she ran away, or she's dead and unidentified on-- on some _ditch_ at the side of the road... Or her father is right and the girlfriend's family had something to do with it", he says tiredly, half-turning to face his partner. "I'm not sure which one is worse at this point."

Skyfire makes a soft noise at the back of his throat -- sound-frown, Fireflight once called it -- and pushes himself away from his desk, flicking off his lamp and turning off the screens, then grabbing Silverbolt's scarf and their coats from the chair nearby.

"Skyfire?"

"We're not getting anything done right now", is the reply, blunt but not unkind, and Silverbolt blames his exhaustion for the way his eyes close briefly as Skyfire leans down to wind Silverbolt's scarf around his neck. "Up, let's go get some food into you. My treat."

Silverbolt's eyes snap open, and he frowns at Skyfire even as he automatically accepts his coat from his friend's hands. "The case--"

"Will be there when we come back in the morning." And damn if it isn't ironic that _Skyfire_ is the one scolding Silverbolt about workaholic tendencies. Silverbolt exhales hard, eyes falling to the concrete floor, but before he can protest any more Skyfire tips his face up with two careful fingers. "Silverbolt. We're going to find her."

"You can't know that", Silverbolt says quietly, feeling torn between the way his pulse is starting to race under Skyfire's steady eyes and his own growing feelings of failure. "You said as much yourself, when I first joined. We don't get to save them all."

"No", Skyfire agrees, thumb rubbing at the edge of Silverbolt's jaw, soft and probably unconscious. "But we can come back in the morning -- preferably with clear heads instead of sleep-deprived and half-starved -- and do our damn best to ensure we get to save this one person, don't you think?"

Silverbolt swallows, blinking away the desperate urge to throw himself into Skyfire's arms, and gives his friend a nod and a smile that he hopes don't look as weak -- as _false_  -- as they feel. "Yeah, okay. Let's go, then."

 

* * *

  

**#3 ~ Bookstore AU**

 

A bell rings above his head -- a mere six centimetres above his head, in fact; Skyfire resigns himself once more to living in a world designed for people who are not nearly two metres tall -- as he enters the little bookshop. He can hear the soft patter of rain against glass, and his eyes widen the slightest degree in delight as he notices the skylights on the ceiling, dustspecks swirling lazily under the artificial lighting.

He glances at the counter, finding it empty, and Skyfire sighs with just a hint of exasperation. Secondhand shops aren't usually the easiest places to navigate, but every single bookstore in the city is missing the last of the volumes he needs for class, and there's nothing he fancies less than facing professor Overcast without the required material.

Skyfire looks at the seemingly endless rows of shelves, the handful of other clients leafing through different books with the calm, satisfied air of people who are just where they want to be and have no intention of leaving, fully aware that trying to ask any of them for help will leave him incoherent and terminally mortified -- and just as he turns on his heel, decided to come back in an hour or two, he walks into the owner of the brightest pair of blue eyes he's seen in his life.

The other boy -- young man? He looks about Skyfire's age -- startles at their near-crash, and Skyfire's hands shoot forward without conscious thought to keep the stranger's books from falling to the ground, wide eyes meeting his own at the same time their hands touch. The boy blinks at him, looking a little embarrassed, and wraps his arms more firmly around the stack of books he's holding as he takes a step back, Skyfire's hands falling listlessly at his sides. "I'm sorry -- I didn't notice you coming in. Are you looking for something in particular?"

So this is the missing clerk. Skyfire clears his throat, hoping against hope that his cheeks are not as red as he imagines them being right now. "I-- yes, as a matter of fact. Do you have ' _An Introduction To Stellar Astrophysics_ ', by--"

"Vector Prime?", the clerk finishes for him, a tiny smile rising at the edges of his mouth. Skyfire nods firmly, decidedly _not_ thinking about lips, soft-looking or not. "You're lucky, I was taking back the last copy to its shelf -- you wouldn't believe how many people have been asking me for this book for the last few weeks."

"Oh, trust me, I would", Skyfire smiles ruefully, because apparently relief makes him stupid and his brain-mouth filter has decided to go on a sudden holiday, "I've been hunting it down for a whole month."

The other boy laughs, looking up at Skyfire -- though not by much, a part of him notices with completely illogical glee -- from under dark blond lashes. "Well, maybe you should try here first, next time you need anything."

Skyfire follows him to the counter, glancing down and holding back a smile when the boy shoots him a warm look from the other side. "I think I can do that."

 

* * *

  

**#4 ~ Reluctant teammates that save the world together AU**

 

"I don't work well with others", Skyfire says, power armour whirring dangerously as he crosses his arms, hard eyes fixed on Silverbolt's. "And I have no reason to trust you."

Silverbolt clenches his jaw, forcing his breath to come out as anything other than a snarl, his knuckles turning white under the plates of his lightning gauntlets. "Neither do I, but if you want to get back your friend, you're going to have to deal with it. I'm going to make it easy for you, _Planetfall_ \-- either you fall in line like everyone else, or you stay put while _we_ deal with the Quintessons."

"You actually think you can stop me?", Skyfire scoffs, derisive, and Silverbolt has never wanted to punch anyone as much _in his life_ , Motormaster included.

He feels more than sees Slingshot move to his side, stance shifting subtly until he's coiled like a waiting cobra, and the rest of his team don't take long to follow, not quite activating their own equipment but definitely ready to do so at Skyfire's first wrong move. The scientist's eyes sweep over them, irritation changing into something cold and calculating that makes Silverbolt want to zap him with a couple thousand volts on the spot -- because they may have had a lot of bad starts, but the Aerials are _his_ team, and he'll be damned before letting some know-it-all in a tin suit even _consider_ hurting any of them.

(While their wings may technically count as tin suits, the five of them have had their powers their entire lives -- their equipment is just a more efficient means to use them. Skyfire, Silverbolt decides with a glare, has probably never had to deal with a single hateful look just for being born different. If he uses a different name whenever he dons his armour it's most likely a matter of ego, rather than self-preservation.)

Somehow, and even though it was what he wanted, he's surprised when Skyfire rolls his eyes, then nods once. "Very well. But as soon as I get Starscream to safety, we're done."

Silverbolt doesn't deign that with a reply, and instead steels himself before breaking into a sprint across the roof. The blinding silver of his wings spreads along his spine and arms as he jumps, and as one the Aerials dive towards the Quintesson ship, the deafening roar of Skyfire's jets following them like the strangest of shadows.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post on Tumblr](http://cosenangel.tumblr.com/post/93103760473/) and the tragic lack of fic for this pairing keeping me awake at night. On that note, if anyone has a particular AU they'd like to see tackled, I'm totally open to suggestions!


End file.
